Improvement in nut-machines



, .T. JOHNSTON,

NUT-MACHINES.X

No. 194,246. Patented Aug.'14 ,1

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[L PETERSv PHOT UNITED STATES.

PATENT Prion.

JAMES JOH STON, 0F PATERSON, NEW JERSE IMPROVEMENT IN NUT-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1 94,246, dated August14, 1877; application filed June 18, 1877.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I,JAMEs JOHNSTON, of Paterson, Passaic county, in theState of New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements.

relating to Nut-Machines, of which the follow ing is aspecification:

My improved machine is adapted for receiving a bar of heated metal ofthe proper thickness and of indefinite length, which, being thrust intothe machine, is impressed, cut off, punched, shaped, and dropped in theform of a complete nut, requiring only to be afterward tapped, and, ifnecessary in any case, finished by grinding or other tools on theexterior.

The bar, heated throughout or at the end which is to be worked up, as itis urged by hand or otherwise into the proper cavity, is

firstimpressed or indented on each edge, forming two V-shaped notchesopposite to each other. This is effected by dies which approach eachother to an exactly predetermined extent,

leaving a just sufficient space between to form oneof the hexagonalsides of the completed nut. Immediately that the dies are withdrawn, thebar is sheared 011' at the contracted neck thus formed, and thecompleted nut is moved away and compressed in suitabledevices to form acomplete nut. The bar is left with its endproperly shaped to form oneside.

of the next succeeding nut. On being fed forward to a just properextent, the bar is again indented on both edges, and again sheared ofl",and so on.

The devices which compress the nut and perfect its form, and the deviceswhich form the proper hole in it, may be of the ordinary andlong-approved construction.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means ofcarrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification, andrepresent the novel parts, with so much of the other parts as isnecessary to indicate their relations thereto.

Figure 1 is a vertical section on or near the plane in which the hot baris introduced. Fig. 2 is a plan View. Fig. 3represents a modification ofsome of the parts on a larger scale.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A is a stout frame-work of cast-iron or other 1 groove.

suitable material, and B is a main drivingshaft, which, it will beunderstood, is turned uniformly in the direction of the arrow, eitherdirectly or through the medium of gearing, by av steam-engine or othersuitable power. (Not represented.) M is a solid die fitted'in a housing,A so that it is firmly but removably held. I have in my experiments madethe die M of cast-iron, case-hardened, and the portion A of the framingof wrought-iron, strongly secured by bolting to the frame A. Immediatelyabove and below the die M are two blocks, N N, of steel or othersuitable mate-' rial, each formed with'a vertical dovetailed In thegroove runs a stoutsli-de, P, of steel or other suitable material,having a double'beveled or V-shaped end, adapted to produce theproperV-shaped impressions in the edges of the bar. These slides P areworked simultaneously toward each other to produce the impression, andare then immediately' withdrawn.

3 I operate the slides P, by the aid of links Q,

levers R B, and consequently one impression by each of the slides orhammers P at each complete revolution of the shaft B, without anytwisting strain on any part, I make the levers R R differ from eachother, the lowermost being a single-ended lever worked by a single cam,U, and the uppermost being forked, as shown, and operated by a doublecam or by two separated cams, D D. The space between the forks of theupper lever B must be sufficient to allow the cam 0 to pass withouttouching, and, conversely, the space between the cams D D is sufficientto pass the lowermost lever Rwithout touching.

A A are stout straps of wrought-iron or other suitable material, looselyinclosing the levers R R, and serving as abutments for blocks of rubberV, serving as springs to keep It will be observed that the center linesof the dies or hammers P require to be shifted relatively to the centerlines of the punches nut. This is accomplished by moving the blocks N,which, when adjusted, may be firmly held in the required position bykeys or pinching-screws n. E is a hexagonal bar or punch of hardenedsteel, having a directly endwise reciprocating motion. After the end ofthe bar has been shaped into the complete hexagonal form, requiring onlyto be cut off at the contracted neck, the punch E shears it off, andforces the hexagonal blank into the corresponding hexagonal cavity inthe solid die M. Another punch or bar, J, of hexagonal section, isoperated by a reciprocating motion in the same line, but at differenttimes. It stands on the other side of the die M, and previous to thecutting off of the bar by the action of the punch E, this punch J entersthe cavity in the die, and stands nearly or quite in contact with thebar. When the punch E moves forward, this backing-punch J movesbackward, and allows the hot blank to be forced inward against itsresistance. After the blank is completely within the die M, thesepunches J and E firmly compress the nut, giving it a uniform thicknessand symmetrical shape.

Both the punches E and J are hollow, the hole in each being in the lineof the axis, and carrying internal round punches e and j, each of aproper size to produce the hole in the nut. These inside punches e and jare worked by suitable cams with a separate motion from the hexagonalpunches, and produce the hole in the nut by proper motions. The smallpiece punched out of the center by the action of these punches is theonly waste. The completed nut is forced out by the die J and droppedinto a receptacle below. The operations may follow each other rapidly. Ihave in my experiments given the shaft B about fifty revolutions aminute.

' Many modifications may be made in the details of the machinery by anygood mechanic. Instead of the springs V in the housings or straps Asprings differently arranged, or

other forces, as a piston worked by steam or compressed air, may beemployed to return the parts rapidly and reliably to their properposition after each impression of the hammers P P.

7 One modification to which I attach great importance is shown in Fig.3. In this the ends of the dies or hammers P, which indent the edges ofthe bar, are not only formed with the double-beveled ends, as described,but also with an additional single-beveled end, as represented, whichbears upon the surface indented by the last previous operation of thesame hammer, and serves to steady the material. It aids to insure theperfect position, and consequently the perfect form of the parts, when,as is frequently the case, the iron varies somewhat in hardness indifferent parts. It is no disadvantage under any circumstances.

I can, with this modification of the form, produce the main or primaryindentation one step farther off or one step earlier. This gives theadvantage that the lower hammer P is farther out of the way, and lessliable to catch and arrest the fall of the finished nut when it ispushed out of the die M. I esteem it practicable to locate theindenting-hammers P more than two steps off, and to form them with morethan two beveled projections; but I prefer either the single-ended formfirst described, or the double-ended, shown in this modification.

I claim as my invention- In a nut-machine having bevel-ended hammers orswages P and suitable operating means, in combination with a close die,M, and punches E J and their connections, the adjustable guiding means Nand confining means a, adapted to allow the line of action of theindenting-swages to be readily changed, as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of June,1877, in the. presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAS. JOHNSTON. [L. s]

